


Two In Harmony

by Lyre (Lyrecho)



Category: Persona 3
Genre: Aigis/Hamuko If You Want It To Be, FEMC is Hamuko, Free Time Zine, Gen, Oneshot, girls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:28:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24192112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrecho/pseuds/Lyre
Summary: Surpasses One In PerfectionAigis finds herself, and a home, through Hamuko.
Relationships: Aigis & Persona 3 Protagonist
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Two In Harmony

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there, Persona fandom! It's sure been...a while!
> 
> I actually wrote this piece several months ago - it's my piece for the Free Time Zine! Unfortunately, due to extenuating and unforeseen real life circumstances that have been going down in the world recently, we've been unable to ship the physical copies and merch...but digital copies have been sent out as a stopgap until we can, and thus, with the zine's 'release,' we've been given the go ahead to post our pieces!
> 
> Please, enjoy~

It’s late October, when they finally stop to think about it.

A calm, quiet evening in the dorms, with Junpei and Akihiko out doing their own thing; Ken and Fuuka upstairs in their rooms. Hamuko is stretched out along the length of one couch like a cat, resting her head in Yukari’s lap, watching Mitsuru tap away at her laptop while Yukari absentmindedly runs a hand through her hair and rambles on cheerfully about what she’d done for her birthday, outside of the dinner they’d had as a group at Hagakure.

Hamuko is honestly so relaxed she doesn’t realise that Yukari’s stopped talking until her hand stops, too. “Yukari?” Looking up, Yukari is looking back over her shoulder, so Hamuko pushes herself up, and peers over the edge of the couch.

Silent and unobtrusive, Aigis stares back at them.

Hamuko smiles at her. “I didn’t know you were in, Aigis! You don’t have to stand there all alone - come chat with us!”

With an awkward caution that somehow isn’t mechanical at all, Aigis steps forward.

“Hey, Aigis,” Yukari says. “When’s  _ your  _ birthday?”

Aigis blinks at her. “I do not have one,” she says. “I was never born.”

Hamuko flounces to her feet. “Of course you have a birthday, Aigis!” She says, and jabs out a finger to tap against her friend’s chest. “You just haven’t picked when it is, yet -” whirling, she points to Mitsuru. “Senpai, the Kirijo database has to have info on when Aigis was activated, right?”

Mitsuru smiles, attention still focused on her screen. “Already looking into it,” she reassures. “Ah - here.” She frowns. “Oh, dear - September tenth.”

Hamuko feels herself deflate. “But it’s nearly November! We can’t wait until next year to celebrate Aigis’ birthday. That’s unfair!”

“Well,” Yukari points out, “Aigis doesn’t  _ have _ to choose that as her birthday, right? I mean, when she was first activated, there’s  _ no way _ she was the same Aigis we know now. She should get to choose her own birthday.”

Excitement reignited, Hamuko grins, and nods frantically at Aigis. “Well? Well?” She asks. “Any ideas?”

Aigis looks slightly overwhelmed, so Yukari gently says, “Maybe pick a date with some significance to you?”

Slowly, as if uncertain as to how to phrase the words - or maybe unsure as to how they’ll be taken - Aigis says: “Hamuko is significant to me.”

Hamuko feels her cheeks flame red, a warm mixture of pleasure and embarrassment a bashful cocktail in her stomach, but Yukari and Mitsuru are frowning. “Normally I’d suggest making your birthday the day you met her on Yakushima, then,” Yukari says. “But that still has the problem of us needing to wait ‘til next year.”

“Oh! Oh!” Hamuko flings her hand up. “What if she shares my birthday?”

“That could work,” Mitsuru allows. “It’s coming up soon, isn’t it?”

“I’m a November baby,” Hamuko confirms breezily, throwing up a peace sign.

“November fifteenth, to be exact,” Aigis says. “Hamuko, are you sure? I understand that birthdays are times of great importance to individuals. I would not want to intrude on yours.”

Hamuko grins at her. “I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t sure, silly!” She says. “Getting to celebrate your first real birthday is going to be the best birthday gift  _ ever _ , Aigis.”

If Aigis could blush, Hamuko was 100% certain she would be blushing after she said that. As it is, she ducks her head and avoids her gaze like she’s embarrassed.

With a cut-off yelp, Yukari jumps to her feet. “This means we need to plan a double party,” she says. “And I need to figure out even  _ more _ gifts -” she moves as she speaks, running for the stairs and - likely - Fuuka’s room.

“That girl,” Mitsuru sighs, amusement threaded through her voice. “Well. At least your birthdays won’t be boring, hmm?”

“Absolutely not!” Hamuko agrees.

She’s tempted - sorely tempted - to sneak her way upstairs and try to eavesdrop on whatever Yukari and Fuuka are discussing, but she knows Fuuka would catch her out straight away - and, more importantly, Koromaru has wandered over, lead in his mouth and pleas in his eyes.

He whines, and Aigis says, “Koromaru wishes to go for a walk.”

“Aww, we can take you, Koro!” Hamuko says, leaning down to clip the lead to his collar. “Who’s a good boy?”

A happy bark, and Koromaru bounds forward for the door. Left staggering, Hamuko shoots a questioning look at Aigis. “Wanna come with?”

“I am invited?”

“Of course!”

A quick farewell to Mitsuru, and they’re walking out the door. It’s a companionable silence between them as they walk at a steady pace, giving Koromaru time to stop and sniff whatever catches his interest. The sun is just starting to go down, and Hamuko shivers from the evening chill beginning to set in.

“Hamuko,” Aigis begins, and Hamuko hums, to show she’s paying attention. “I know you said you did not mind, but did you truly mean that? Please - do not feel obliged to share your birthday with me out of kindness.”

Hamuko looks at Aigis, and takes in the concern in her eyes - the deep set worry that this was some other aspect of human life that, unknowing, she was crossing a line in.

She smiles, something bitter, something sweet. “Like I said,” she says, soft. “I really don’t mind, I promise. To be honest...this is as much my own selfishness as it is being kind, in a way.”

In the distance, Koromaru barks at something that’s captured his attention. He doesn’t sound distressed, so Hamuko leaves him to it, and keeps her eyes focused on Aigis, who tilts her head as she processes Hamuko’s words.

“...Selfishness?” She says it like she’s testing the word; like she knows what it means, or is  _ meant _ to mean, but hasn’t ever tried to apply it to Hamuko. “How so?”

Taking in a deep breath, Hamuko lets out a sigh as she tilts her head up to the sky. She swings her arms - movement, always, to keep her centered. Never staying still.

“I guess...I kind of miss it,” she says. “Sharing my birthday with someone, I mean.”

For a minute, the whole world is only the two of them.

For a minute, the whole world is quiet.

“Your brother,” Aigis says, finally, and Hamuko nods.

“Minato,” she says, wistful. “He died when our parents did, on the bridge. It’s been so long that - well, that I’ve forgotten a lot of things. I was young, after all. But I’ll never forget the birthdays we shared together, no matter how many more I end up having without him. They were always my favourite time of the year.”

“I - ” Aigis starts, haltingly. “Hamuko. I am not your brother.”

She doesn’t say it confrontationally, or like she’s accusing Hamuko of trying to make her into someone else’s replacement - it’s all concern, all for her, because that’s what this girl who calls herself a weapon is like.

Turning to Aigis with the sweet in her smile drowning out the bitter, Hamuko takes both of her hands in her own.

“Of course you’re not, silly,” she says. “You’re my  _ friend _ .”


End file.
